Is isolation bad, if its just you and God???

Here's my problem... I understand why some Christians choose not to go to a place or organized religion because lately that has been me...

The other "problem" is that I know that is not what God wants.. I know He wants me to be in fellowship with other Christians, and I am but sometimes I really want to just run far far away.. I want to take a hiatus from people and just spend time alone with God..

I wonder if that is what John thought when he was on the Island of Patmos. I wonder if it just so happened to work out that way for John.. That he had to go through something miserable in order to be alone with God without the distractions of every one's different theologies of God, without the pressure of every church to be who they want you to be, and not who God wants you to be. I bet John had an amazing time by himself on that island with just him and God.. He wrote the book of Revelations on that island, and he had an amazing encounter with God. He was in the spirit in Heaven, and God was revealing to John all the amazing things of the then, and now..

But that happened by path, most likely not by Johns choice.. I doubt John decided he was going to throw himself in prison and send himself to a sterile island.. Sometimes I want to do that.. I want to take a vacation from the world, and go spend some time in heaven to just be with God..

because here on this earth it sucks.. Its hard to spend time alone with God, when I live in this nasty fleshly body.. Where the human in me still lives like its on a roller coaster ride, and all I want to have is spiritual peace. Its in that place where I let the human in me override my spiritual peace because I try to reason with my brain instead of Gods love..

So is isolation bad??? I can answer this biblically with both yes and no..

The reasons why I say Yes..

Is because Jesus spent time with the father alone. He often prayed to God alone and for long periods of time. He would then return to His disciples.. In the garden Jesus became frustrated with Peter because Jesus went to spend time in prayer with God, and when He returned he came back to sleeping disciples..

The reason why I say No..

Is because Satan loves to isolate.. He likes to get you alone where he can toy and mess with you..

and God called us to be in fellowship with each other, but I know the fellowship of the beginning church is not what the church looks like today.. and this is where my problem all stems from..Paul, and the apostles went from church to church encouraging and preaching, and doing Gods work on the way.. They were always in fellowship with all the churches, not just one..

I find myself looking at the church today and I'm so saddened.. We are not like the biblical church. We are not in fellowship with all God's people and doing Gods work on the way..We are in fellowship with the people that go to the same building with.. We are doing Gods work only in that building and with those same people because of theology..

Gods church (biblically) was constantly moving and staying connected to each other.. Modern day church is def. not staying connected with each other and I would say it is slow as molasses..

So with that, I have told God that I want Him to use me for His glory and for the redemption of His people, and not for the purpose of what my boxed building uses me for.. I am placing myself in His hands for His will and if that seperates me from the people I have come to love, then is that isolation by choice? Im not sure. Its something I am still thinking about..

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, and if you have been through it.. Comment on my facebook or under the comment section..

Ungodly discouragement and Godly sorrow that leads to encouragement

 "Just so happens" when I was doing my devotionals that both the old and new were about writing letters and the delivery of a message. In Nehemiah, the person who wrote this letter was writing to try stop and discourage the work of God that was spoken to Nehemiah, which was to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. The message that was sent to Nehemiah was that he was going to along with other rebel, and had plans to become king, and also hired prophets to proclaim about Nehemiah being appointed as king. Then asked Nehemiah to come and discuss this, but was in fact trying to harm him instead.

 There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king. ⁷ He also reports that you have appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim about you, ‘Look! There is a king in Judah!’“You can be very sure that this report will get back to the king, so I suggest that you come and talk it over with me.

Nehemiah wrote back

⁸ I replied, “There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making up the whole thing.”

⁹ They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

In the discouraging letter

1. There was no truth to any part of the message that was sent
2. Meaning that person who sent the letter made the entire thing up without evidence
3. The message was to intimidate
4. To discourage you from stopping the work that God gave you
5. To also kill, steal, and destroy (harm)


Then I went to the new testament, and was reading out of 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 7:8-10

I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. ⁹ Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. ¹⁰ For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

I imagine that the letter Paul is talking about is 1 Corinthians which is full or correction for the  Corinthian believers on different topics that led them to adopt low standards. He talks about spiritual pride, judgement, sexual sin, lawsuits, marriage, food, spiritual gifts, and pretty much all the same things the church of today deals with.

1. Writer felt sorry at first, but then didn't because it caused a change
2. Wasn't meant to hurt but was meant for change
3. Godly sorrow is without harm (unlike ungodly sorrow)
4. Leads away from sin
5. Leads towards salvation
6. No regrets with Godly sorrow
7. Godly sorrow doesn't lead to spiritual death (unlike ungodly sorrow)
8. Doesn't discourage you to stop the work of God
9. Doesn't intimidate 
10. The message has truth to it

Then Paul was able to see what his correction caused in the believers, even though at first it may have caused pain.

Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. ¹² My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. ¹³ We have been greatly encouraged by this.

These are the things that were produced later from Godly sorrow

1. Earnestness
2. Concern to have a clear conscious
3. Indignation
4. Alarm
5. Longing
6. Zeal
7. Ready for justice
8. Made things right
9. Encouragement

Paul answers it very clearly on why he felt compelled to write and that wasn't to blame, but
I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us.

I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

 For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

 But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent.

John 20:21-22

Verse Concepts

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Breath-Of-God#sthash.IwP2EoIG.dpuf

John 20:21-22

Verse Concepts

So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Breath-Of-God#sthash.IwP2EoIG.dpuf

 
 My dream started off in a friends church and I was watching someone talking and giving their testimony, but I knew he wasn't just up front talking, I knew he was in ministry. Then it switched from the friends church to some sort of like recreation hall where he was still talking about the same thing. I know who this person was in my dream, and its very funny because I have seen this person from the side but never face-to-face but in my dream I saw his face and knew who he was. While he was talking I felt the excitement in the room. I cant describe what type of excitement but it was just exciting.. Well as he continues to tell his testimony, he says something about how he had to let go of sin in order to be able to breath, and at that moment I could see a chest and see that it wasn't moving but then breath was was taken into the  chest and he started to breath heavy and gasping, but then started to breath normally, and I could hear the breath of God being breathed in and out of him. I can still hear what it sounds like now..

Right now this man I know that was in my dream, I have never said a word to in my life, but I look forward to see where God will be taking him.

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

 This is a great song, in the link below! ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9-0uih5iCg

Words of Destiny

Yes, I'm still here and kicking..I'm just going to post what Ive been thinking about lately..

Almost a year ago I had a divine appointment with God one Friday afternoon.. I ran into 3 different people who so happened to need encouragement and in the same areas.. God spoke to me that afternoon, and planted His will.. It was two-fold.. The same two-fold message you hear in the gospels but Lauren style.. This message He spoke to me in only a way He knows how to fan my flames.. Only a way His Spirit could set me on a race to run.. To put me into action I call it.. That day I was so pumped I went directly to a friends to just lay it all out for her.. She is one of those friends that I have.. Well one of two friends that I have that no matter what I say or lay it out, they get super pumped with me.. They are like Yes!!! BTW you need those friends.. You need those 2-3 fellow lovers of Jesus to live life with..(yep its biblical too)..  So that day, I dreamt and dreamed of what God told me, and I started my journey.. Over the next few months, God made connections for me to be able to start this race. He provided someone to lay down exactly how to start it, and the information I needed. He gave me sermons to listen to, and spoke to me through scripture.. Then I will say we took a leap and officially started what I thought was going to be the start, but after a few weeks, I knew I was off course, and He once again reminded me of exactly what He spoke to me in May.. So I turned my wheel a little to get back on course, and today was just amazing.. I'm so pumped up and fired up for what I now will call the start of this race..

A few months ago, I was asked to write a paper on what my spiritual gifts are and what does that mean.. I have watched people who are in the ministry.. Like literally watched, and have gathered information on each of them.. I don't know how God does it, but I feel like this is what God has shown me.. When God created you, He spoke words over your life.. Words of your destiny, words of your calling.. There will be a point in your life (hopefully) when you surrender your entire self and will to God.. At that moment, those words spoken over you are activated.. Then the spiritual gifts that spirit gives connect with your destiny and begin to manifest and are visibly amplified.. Even your personality starts to adapt to your calling.. God literally can change the entire person that you are FOR HIS GLORY!! I can tell you that the past two years of my life have been the best years of my life.. His amazing glory, I have been able to see, feel, and touch.. I get to share in His Glory.. I can also tell you that the past two years of my life I have shared in Christs suffering.. I remember last year at around the same time, I was in deep worship and I remember God basically asking have you counted the cost? I remember crying and telling Him I was willing to suffer for His sake.. I really think that is what scripture means about counting the cost.. Don't even think about starting if you haven't counted the cost of what it really takes, what you will have to endure, give up, and suffer for because you really have no idea what it will be, and I still have no idea what it will be in the future.. Over the past year I have seen God's Glory and been able to see glimpses of it but I have also been jacked up emotionally with things I haven't ever had to deal with before.. I have had to find all my hope and strength in Jesus, and rely on the word of God alone. I mean literally on God alone.. You think your church can help, you think friends or family can help but the only thing that stands is God. Sometimes I feel so dumb because each time I have encountered God, I encounter something that jacks me up or vice versa.. I get jacked up and then I encounter God.. And every time God, never pulls me out of those situations instantly, He just continues to say Lauren focus on me.. Endure it, but where is your focus?.. And when I smarten up, the suffering of whatever sort it is just fades away because God and His Glory is something that will never fade.. I will endure things that fade for things that will never fade..
 
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

No matter where I am at I need to remember these 2 things.. 1. Focus on God all the time.. 2. Dont let anything ever distract you from God's destiny for you.. 

So I just want to encourage you to really think about your destiny... The destiny God has called me too, is nothing of what I thought it was for the almost 20 years of my Christian life.. God always has better for you, but are you willing to count the cost before you start.. Are you willing to surrender your destiny for Gods destiny? It will be amazing if you do, but there will be a cost..

The day God filled your heart.. .

 Maybe this revelation came because I am in the book of Acts and 2 Chronicles, but it really doesn't matter! Ill take it. :) I'm going to try to keep this short, but if it isn't love me anyways! I just want you to open your eyes spiritually when you are reading this.. 

  2 Chronicles 5:12
They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. ¹³ The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:

“He is good!
    His faithful love endures forever!”

At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God. 

As I was reading this I was suddenly thinking about the 120 believers that were together, and how they were waiting for the the Holy Spirit to come. They were choosing someone to replace Judas. Then on the day of Pentecost, a sound from heaven like a mighty windstorm filled the house they were in

 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. ² Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. ² Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!” “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. ²¹ May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place.

 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. ² The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. ³ When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying,

“He is good!
    His faithful love endures forever!”

 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. ⁴ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
  
You see the old in the new and the new in the old.. I just love that more and more that God reveals these things to me when I am reading. The old repeats itself because its prophetic and leads up the new.. But what is amazing is that the new will lead up to the return! The story of Solomon building the temple for God, was where God was going to live, and God blessed that and anointed it, but we are lucky enough to see the fulfillment of Gods plan. That God lives inside us. He live in our hearts, and we are His temple. I suggest you read 2 Chronicles 6:14-42
 

⁴⁰ “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place. (heart)

⁴¹ “And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place,
    along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
May your priests, (us) O Lord God, be clothed with salvation;
    may your loyal servants (us) rejoice in your goodness.
⁴² O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed.
    Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”

Why cant we be the kind of Jesus people, that people need..??

Why cant we be the kind of Jesus people, that people need..?? God has done a crazy work in me, over the past few years. I went from not caring about what people do, like at all,  to having a holy anger, to wanting to love like Christ.. I know it is possible to love like Christ and still preach the truth because Jesus did it!..

The world just keeps getting worse, and worse.. And we try to fight for what is right, and what is true, and what is just, but it looks like its never going to be in our favor.. I know that Yes, we need to stand up for God's word, and stand true to faith, but how does that affect the people who don't give two craps about what we are standing up for.. What about those people? I think I came to realize why Christians, myself included have gotten into the place of holy anger.. Its because we see the defilement that comes from peoples hearts.. and we don't want it to keep spreading, and keep defiling the world we live in..

Are you afraid of the crazy, insane world defiling you and your children?..

Guess what you don't have to be afraid of that anymore..

 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand.  It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. ²¹ For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

See Jesus said its not what comes from outside that defiles you, it comes from you! You defile yourself, not from someone elses choice.. The person making that choice, or living in sin is defiling themselves.. I'm not saying that the sin of one person doesn't affect someone else.. Our government is a good example of that.. I would compare it to earthquakes. We don't take the initial quake, we get the aftershock. We don't get the direct affect. We usually have to live with the aftermath..

What I am saying however is that if you see someone defile themselves.. Don't run away at first because you think that what they did, or who they are, or the choices they make are going to rub off on you, and somehow make you like them.. Instead show them the love of Christ. Be like Jesus! Share the message of Christ with them, pray for them, maybe even say to yourself.. "I know God loves that person, and what is God telling me to do to help them? I bet the answer would be to love them anyway"..

This is why it is so important to be in a relationship with God, and train your children up correctly. When you are gone, they will have to stand on their own, and if they don't have God in their life, then they will waver. That is why it also says too.. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.


Now how does our holy-anger earthquake affect those people who don't give to craps about the word of God.. Well it just keeps pushing them farther and farther away it.. It just keeps hardening their hearts, and turning them into ice.. 

I'm sick of living with the aftermath of the hypocritical church.. Church people say, come to church. Come as you are. Jesus loves you just as you are.. But then when hot topic issues hit the press every Christian out there, has to throw down holy anger all over the place!! 

Jesus people have to try to clean up the mess of the hypocritical church people... and then we all wonder why no one is getting saved, and why no one in the church is on fire, and why everyone has their church faces on, and why people are living lies!. Its a big huge fat mess! 

I say lets all preach the truth with love! Let people not only come to church as they are, but come to you as they are.. Accept them for who they are because Jesus accepted you just like you were, and with all your baggage too.. Then let Jesus do what He does best... Let Him change and transform them into something beautiful! Let God get the glory for the change of heart, and the renewing of their mind..

Seriously just let people meet Jesus! 

Grace

I was thinking about a dream I had last night, and then I remembered when I woke up I said the word Grace.. This word I said, came from the Holy Spirit, not from myself and all of a sudden I was brought into this place where God is showing me how to deal with frustration and heartbreak..


 Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

God has lavished us with His grace.. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. God's grace is Jesus. Gods grace is His love. We don't deserve His grace but He smothers it on us still.

When I woke up this morning, His Spirit was telling me that even when you don't think people deserve something because they have caused you heartbreak, show them grace, better yet smother them with grace.. Because how can I not show and give someone grace when God gives me His grace.  By giving grace, it brings you back to the place where you need to be with that person who hurt you, that hurt that caused that seperation.

 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.  You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

I could listen to a million messages on forgiveness, and a million messages on grace, but when God teaches me through His spirit, that is when I learn..

This place where we live, the place where our hearts beat, the place where are hearts become free is where grace lives . We are living, breathing, and walking in His grace..